La Mirada Theatre Presents RING OF FIRE 6/5 - 6/21

La Mirada Theatre For the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment are thrilled to present the fifth and final production of La Mirada Theatre’s 2008-2009 season of shows, the West Coast Premiere of a new and completely revised production of Ring of Fire, created by Tony Award-winner Richard Maltby, Jr., conceived by William Meade, orchestrations by Steven Bishop and Jeff Lisenby, choreography by Jane Lanier and directed by and starring one of the original cast members from the Broadway production, Jason Edwards.  Ring of Fire will begin performances on Friday, June 5 and will run through Sunday, June 21 at La Mirada Theatre For the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue.

From the heart of the songs of Johnny Cash comes a unique musical show about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, home and family. A cast of multi-talented performers takes you on a journey into the world Johnny Cash created in his songs. Ring of Fire features 38 of the music legend’s songs such as “Country Boy,” “A Thing Called Love,” “Five Feet High and Rising,” “Daddy Sang Bass,” “Ring of Fire,” “I Walk the Line,” “I’ve Been Everywhere,” “The Man in Black,” and his final hit, “Hurt.”

Richard Maltby, Jr. (Creator) includes among his Broadway credits:  Conceived/directed Ain’t Misbehavin’ (1978 Tony, NY Drama Critics,  Outer Critics and Drama Desk Awards. Also Tony Award for Best  Director); Fosse (1999 Tony, Outer Critics and Drama Desk Awards).  Lyricist: Miss Saigon (Evening Standard Award 1990, Tony Nomination  for Best Score 1991). Director and co-lyricist of Andrew Lloyd  Webber's Song & Dance, 1986 (Tony Award for star Bernadette Peters).  With composer David Shire: director/lyricist Baby, 1983 (book by  Sybille Pearson; seven Tony Award nominations); Lyricist: Big, 1996  (book by John Weidman. Tony nomination: Best Score).Off-Broadway: credits: director/lyricist Starting Here, Starting Now, 1977 (Grammy  Award nomination); Closer Than Ever, 1989 (Outer Critics Circle  Awards: Best Musical, Best Score). Contributes devilish crossword puzzles to Harper’s Magazine. Son of well-known orchestra leader; married to Janet Brenner; five children: Nicholas, David, Jordan, Emily and Charlotte.

Jason Edwards  (Director) is pleased to be back at the La Mirada Theatre for this, his 5th production. For McCoy Rigby Entertainment he has directed Pump Boys and Dinettes, and this season's Souvenir, A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins. Performing credits include Pump Boys, and the Southern California premieres of both Smoke on the Mountain and A Sanders Family Christmas. His directorial credits across the United States include Actors' Theatre of Louisville, Virginia Stage Company, Chicago's Marriott Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Clarence Brown Theatre and Maine State Music Theatre. On Broadway, Jason starred in Ring of Fire at the Barrymore Theatre, and is featured on the original cast recording, produced by John Carter Cash for Time Life Music. Off-Broadway: Johnny Guitar (Century Center), Of Mice and Men (Mint Theatre), Honky Tonk Angel (Lambs Theatre). Regional: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Actors' Theatre of Louisville, Buffalo Studio Arena, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Barter Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Chicago's Apollo Theatre, San Francisco's Curran Theatre. He received a Chicago Jefferson Award nomination for his portrayal of "Will" in The Will Rogers Follies (Marriott Theatre). As a young boy growing up in North Carolina, Jason first saw Johnny Cash & June Carter live in 1969 at the Charlotte Coliseum.

William Meade (Conceiver) began his career as a musician.  He has been a featured soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Zurich Philharmonic, Prague Philharmonic, and Jacksonville Symphony.  He has produced concerts throughout the U.S. and Europe with artists ranging from Arlo Guthrie to BB King.  Television: “The Miss America Pageant,” “The Super Bowl Half Time Show,” “Sex and The City,” “Love Monkey,” and “Sesame Street.”  On Broadway, he has been involved with more than 50 musicals.  He is a Grammy-nominated record producer with a wide range of theatrical releases to his credit, from Hello, Dolly! with Carol Channing to Elegies by William Finn.

Jane Lanier (Choreographer)  Guys and Dolls: Broadway 2009  (Associate Choreographer), No Way To Treat A Lady; Colony Theatre, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Musical Theatre Guild, Little Fish: The Blank Theatre Co, The Wild Party: The Blank Theatre Co, LA Weekly and Beverly Garland Awards, Ovation and NAACP Award Nominations, Johnny Guitar: both Off-Broadway at The Century Theatre & at La Mirada, Smokey Joe’s Cafe and Pippin: Fifth Ave Theatre Seattle, Kiss Me Kate: Musical Theatre West, Nightengale: Vineyard Theatre NYC, Guys and Dolls, A Little Night Music, and The Music Man: Interact Theatre Co, Ernest in Love: Fremont Theatre, several national commercials,  many S.T.A.G.E. and Actor’s Fund Benefits.

Ring of Fire has assembled an award-winning design team. The set design is by John Iacovelli.  The lighting design is by Kent Sheranian.  The costume design is by Julie Keen .  The sound design is by Josh Bessom.  Prop design by Terry Hanrahan.

The cast of Ring of Fire includes: Troy Burgess (Broadway’s Aida), Michelle Duffy (Mask), Jason Edwards (Original Cast - Ring of Fire) and Christa Jackson (Always Patsy Cline).

The band includes renowned fiddler Brantley Kearns, John Marshall – Bass; Tom Mason & Brent Moyer – Guitar and Mark San Filippo on Drums.
 
Ring of Fire will begin performances on Friday, June 5 (with a press opening on Saturday, June 6) and runs for three weeks through Sunday, June 21.  Performances will be 7:30pm on Tuesday through Thursdays; 8pm on Fridays; 2pm and 8pm on Saturdays; and 2pm and 7pm on Sundays. There will be no matinee performance on Saturday, June 6 at 2pm and no evening performance on Sunday, June 7 at 7pm.
 
Tickets are $40 and $48 and can be purchased at La Mirada Theatre’s website, www.lamiradatheatre.com.  Student, Senior, Children and group discounts are available.  For more information, call the La Mirada Theatre Box Office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310.

La Mirada Theatre For the Performing Arts, now in its fourth decade, has been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "one of the best Broadway-style houses in Southern California."  This beautiful state-of-the-Art Theatre has been producing quality productions for its Southern California audiences since 1977.  The theatre has produced several national tours and is the recipient of many accolades including Ovation and Emmy Awards and Tony Award nominations.  Brian Kite is the theatre’s Producing Artistic Director. The theatre is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue. Parking is theatre-adjacent and free. For further information 562-944-9801 or visit www.lamiradatheatre.com.

McCoy Rigby Entertainment combines the talents of musical theatre star Cathy Rigby with Tom McCoy's extensive production and theatrical experience and has become one of the nation's premier theatrical production companies. Credits include Tony-nominated Broadway shows, long-running national tours, multiple-award-winning Los Angeles stage productions, and hit TV specials.The number of major theatrical awards garnered by McCoy Rigby Entertainment includes 3 Ovation Awards, 25 Drama-Logue Awards, 3 Backstage Garland Awards and 3 Tony Award nominations, 20 Ovation nominations and 8 NAACP award nominations for the touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar.  In addition, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded McCoy Rigby Entertainment an Emmy for Best Scene Design as part of four nominations for the A&E network production of Peter Pan.  For more information, visit www.mccoyrigby.com.

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